S&W governor revolver

[defensive007]

Just came upon this awesome looking revolver that shoots .45 acp, .45 long colt and .410 2.5 . Anyone yet seen or shot one of these? They say they are lightweight but for range purposes not many ranges will let you shoot .410 which will be the fun part. As far as a SD gun I think it has got to be an awesome choice.

[DefensiveCarry.com]

[SIXTO]

I saw one, handled it... its OK. I really see no practical value in it.

[JD]

I see a lot of empty cylinder/increased size where it's not needed for a .45 ACP or LC, I've seen Squirrels shrug off .410.

[wmhawth]

I haven't seen one yet. It's not something I'm interested in. Looks like a move to ace out the Taurus Judge market. Sometimes I wonder about Smith & Wesson.

[bmcgilvray]

As a novelty item it might be fun for the first range outing or two but, no, it isn't anything extra special for self defense.

For serious self defense this Colt revolver chambered for .45 Colt makes more sense and it's a hundred years old.

[archer51]

S&W knock off of the Taurus Judge. IMO it's much too bulky for a carry gun. I can see a possible niche for it in a home defense gun, but I wouldn't be interested in one.

[Yankeejib]

Ever wonder why there's so many "used" Judges for sale?

[Old School]

As a novelty item it might be fun for the first range outing or two but, no, it isn't anything extra special for self defense.

For serious self defense this Colt revolver chambered for .45 Colt makes more sense and it's a hundred years old.

First handgun I ever owned. Handed down from my dad with a bunch of half moon clips for .45 ACP.

When I went on the job I traded it for a Colt Government Model .45 ACP back in the late 60's.

Every time I see one especially one in as good a condition as yours i kick myself. If I only knew back then.

OS

[bmcgilvray]

Hi Old School;

I pulled a fast one one you. That is the older Colt Model 1909 chambered for .45 Colt rather than the Model 1917 which is chambered for the .45 ACP. Of course they look much the same.



Back to the .410 revolvers though. They have been wildly popular for a couple of years now. Smith & Wesson may have jumped into that market just as it begins to taper off. One can almost perceive that the fad is beginning to run its course.

It might be fun to shoot stuff with the revolver and .410 shells while plinking, just for the effect. One could be entertained shooting at aerial targets too. I once broke out an 8 3/8-inch Smith & Wesson Model 29 .44 Magnum and a few packages of Speer shotshell loads after a skeet match for some impromptu fun off of stations 7 and 8. It was good for a laugh. It was relatively easy to hit the targets too. It isn't something worth pursuing in depth though.

The problem in my view with the .410 revolvers is the fact that they have .410 capability. The .410 is not nearly the fearsome handgun round that is implied in a lot of marketing and enthusiasm for these .410 revolvers. No .410 shell currently marketed including the specialty shells, that are said to be marketed for the .410 handguns, would be remotely suitable for whitetail deer hunting. The .45 Colt which the revolver also accepts would be a much better choice. Because of this fact the cumbersome oversized frame and cylinder of the .410 revolver is superfluous.

The .410 slug only has projectile diameter going for it as it is a lightweight affair, only weighing some 96 grains and possessing poor sectional density. Any common .45 ACP or .45 Colt load has it all over the .410 slug, especially from handgun length barrels. Sure, deer have been taken with .410 slugs but it is far from the prudent choice, even if used in a conventional shotgun with a longer barrel.

The special .410 loadings with the large buckshot lined up in the shell have more weight than the slug load but delivery on target will be imprecise at best. A 1/2 ounce payload from a .410 shell weighs about 217 grains. This is enough weight but dividing the payload of a .410 cartridge into several different projectiles, whether it be several relatively heavy buckshot or a swarm of smaller bird shot cannot successfully be argued to be superior to a bullet from a conventional handgun which may be more accurately directed to a vital area, gaining increased opportunity for a certain stop, and the stop is what we're after. Yeah, one might benefit from the "golden BB" landing just right and get a stop. It would be just as likely that one would not obtain that benefit too. If none of the .410 ammunition available represents an intelligent choice for deer hunting due to its unreliability for that task, and it can't be said to be reliable, what makes it an especially awesome choice for serious self defense against human assailants? I'd rather trust a plain ol' .38 Special revolver for harvesting a deer. In fact I have taken deer with a .38 Special. I'd rather trust a .38 Special for self defense than a .410 shot shell fired from a handgun too.

The .410 revolver could have some self defense value if its display gave an assailant pause. We're not going to get into brandishing here but any handgun could thwart an assault simply by being seen.

The .410 revolver could have some self defense value because being shot is not pleasant. There is a definite "ouch" factor involved. The .410 shells could be fatal, could effect a decisive stop, and certainly would inflict pain, even though the actual wound might only be superficial. If an assailant was thwarted by being shot with a .410 revolver than great. But what if a berserk assailant isn't stopped by the pain of being shot. Is a revolver loaded with .410 shells more effective than any of several conventional handguns that could have been used? Nope, it isn't. No handgun is 100% but quite a few handguns and cartridges have as much or more capability than any .410 load when fired from a revolver. A .410 revolver could be said to be another version of "spray and pray" and it's difficult to argue for "spray and pray."

A .410 revolver certainly isn't the worst handgun choice by any means. There are a number of handgun cartridges pressed into service for self defense that are far more feeble. It is a somewhat awkward handgun though given it's actual capabilities. There is nothing particularly wrong with a person choosing a .410 revolver but it really doesn't represent any sort of unique effectiveness unless one buys into the notion that spraying assailants with shot is better than striking them with a solid projectile. While anything's better than nothing I'll take the opportunities afforded by the well directed bullet.

[Guantes]

In addition to the astute post above, I cannot think of a situation, outside of fun, that I would prefer a .410 round over a .45 Colt.

[GM]

Just came upon this awesome looking revolver that shoots .45 acp, .45 long colt and .410 2.5 . Anyone yet seen or shot one of these? They say they are lightweight but for range purposes not many ranges will let you shoot .410 which will be the fun part. As far as a SD gun I think it has got to be an awesome choice.

If I got one free I would take it, but I would not spend money buying one. What makes you believe that it should be a awesome SD gun?

[BugDude]

I handled one a few days ago in my local gun shop, and it seemed to be a little nicer than the Judges, but I'd rather have a j-frame S&W in .38 or .357.

[mj40p]

If you live or spend alot of time in snake infested areas it would be a good gun to turn all of them into good snakes.

[bmcgilvray]

Hi mj40p;

Our place is pretty snake infested: water moccasins, rattlesnakes, and copperheads. I always have managed to turn the poisonous ones into good snakes with .22s, .32-20s, and .38 Specials. Last snake shot was a water moccasin that the dog rounded up. Shot it with a .22 target rifle that was the handiest at the moment. Actually most often use a rock, limb, or shovel and even the lawnmower.

[rammerjammer]

Maybe good for hiking but I don't see an appropriate use for it in my lifestyle.